Aaron Schock

SOMETHING GOOD: Maybe Mr. Schock's early success stems from the fact that he had access to a computer at age 13, but not a TV. "That got me into database management," he says. The rest is history.

28 | Member of Congress | Peoria

28 | Member of Congress | Peoria

Six-pack abs and cannonball shoulders are not the first things that come to mind when one imagines a typical Republican congressman.

Rep. Aaron Schock probably would prefer that voters concentrate on something else, like his lifelong love affair with the free enterprise system. But the fast-rising Peoria politician is shrewd enough to know that it all starts with getting noticed  even if the notice comes in the form of pictures of him in a swimsuit that have been all over the Web.

In fact, there's a lot more to Mr. Schock, a polite and rather self-effacing guy who describes politics as "a noble profession" and says he wants "to make a difference."

Like the fact that he started his own database-management company at 13, graduating to stock trading and ticket brokering shortly thereafter. Or how he got into government: After his high school district refused to let him graduate early, even though he had enough academic credits to do so, he ran a write-in campaign for a board seat and won. That led to a stint in Springfield and, upon the retirement of Rep. Ray LaHood (now the U.S. transportation secretary), to a seat in Congress, where Mr. Schock is now on three committees and serves as a deputy Republican whip.

Such a combination is good stuff for a GOP that's been lagging. "He's the new face of the Republican Party," Mr. LaHood says. "He's committed to rebuild the party, not only in Illinois, but around the country."

Mr. Schock makes the same point, in a different fashion. "I truly believe that, when you see the opportunity, you seize it," he says. And those abs? "Getting to the gym every day is a priority for me," he allows. "No PhotoShop involved."